This is why I dig the spirit behind the Christmas music of David Philp. Philp is the husband of our weekly Art Talk contributor Hunter Drohojowska-Philp. He’s also a 70s punk rocker, who was the lead singer of the Automatics. (And if you know that, you remember their number one hit, When the Tanks Roll Over Poland Again.) This American Life has called him a ”punk in a grey flannel suit,” when they explored his life as a musician turned mortgage broker.

But the grey flannel didn’t drum the music out of Philp. He’s written a whole album of Christmas tunes. There’s new stuff, holiday stuff, and a fusion of sweet and edgy and touching without the schmaltz or the consumerism.

As my holiday ditty, I’m posting one of my favorite tracks; give a listen, and join me in enjoying the glow of the holiday lights (my favorite part) and the true spirit of every season: friends, fun, family and the gift of creativity. Inspired, as Philp has shown, even by an addling time of year.